Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on in Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, May 20, 2023. /CFP
The Los Angeles Lakers have reached a three-year, $186 million contract extension with their superstar big man Anthony Davis, his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, told ESPN.
Davis still has two years left on his current five-year, $189.9 million deal with the purple and gold. The extension he agreed to will pay him an annual salary of over $60 million on average per year, the highest in today's NBA.
Davis, 30, is likely to remain a Laker until summer 2028, which means he will contribute his best years to the Lakers. Considering that the team's other superstar, LeBron James, turns 39 at the end of this year and has the player option for the 2024-25 season, Davis' long commitment to the purple and gold can be a guarantee for their record if James leaves or retires.
Anthony Davis (#3) of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks in Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, May 20, 2023. /CFP
"Couldn't think more highly of Anthony Davis as a Laker and as a player," the Lakers' general manager Rob Pelinka said recently. "He's helped deliver a championship to our franchise. He's been an incredible captain and leader."
The purple and gold acquired Davis by sending Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and three first-round draft picks to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019. Davis has averaged 24.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 2.1 blocks per game for the Lakers. He made significant contributions to their victory in the NBA Finals in 2020.
Though Davis has been vulnerable to injuries during most of his career so far, he is still a top-two defender in the league – only Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks can match him in defensive comprehensiveness.
Anthony Davis (#3) of the Los Angeles Lakers blocks a shot by Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, May 20, 2023. /CFP
However, Davis' individual attack ability has slipped a lot in these years. He is never a first-class isolation scorer, but at least he can be an efficient finisher with an experienced playmaker supporting him. Davis' biggest problem last season was a lack of consistency. Having made 16 appearances in the playoffs, Davis always underperformed offensively in the second game of two straight competitions.
Such fluctuation should be an alert to the Lakers that they can continue to trust Davis on the defensive end but should never give up searching for a more consistent ace scorer to pair him with.